A Glossary: S

Solar

Bolton Castle, England (Marie Stuart Society)
Originally any room above ground level facing south but more usually refers to a lord's private living quarters in the keep, usually above the Great Hall

Spiral stairway

Bolton Castle, England (Marie Stuart Society)
The stairways were built upon spiral vaults, winding round a central pillar. They spiral clockwise as they ascend, so that those defending from above had more space to use their sword arm and the attackers had to expose more of their bodies to use their sword arm.